The Merchant of Dreams (Night's Masque #2)

Dec 19, 2012 Raina {The LUV'NV} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, historical-fantasy

Impressed with the first installment of the series, I picked up The Merchant of Dreams with high hopes and was a bit disappointed. Though Anne Lyle captured Venice with stellar description and feeling, the plot and main relationship and character development fell to the wayside—for me, at least.

The Merchant of Dreams picks up a year after The Alchemist of Souls, with Mal and Coby following his dream of a skrayling shipwreck, only for them to discover a massacre of skraylings. They sail to Kiiren...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Carole-Ann rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

OK, not as demanding a read as The Alchemist of Souls; but I decided to rate and tag this one anyway. :) There were too many situations which didn't actually fit in with what was going on at the time; too much blind acceptance by most of the characters; and a fairly choppy storyline which hopped all over the place sometimes.

Still not sure what the author is hoping to achieve with this: still unsure of the Sandy/Erishen raisen d'etre and how/why it affects Mal; bringing older brother Charles int...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars

There has been a rift with the skraylings over the presence of renegade skraylings who have deliberately reincarnated in humans in England. Rumour has it that skrayling vessels have been spotted in the eastern Mediterranean in increasing numbers, fuelling suspicions of dealings with Venice. Mal is instructed to travel to Venice forthwith to find out if these suspicions are true and, if they are, to break up this new alliance by any means necessary...

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"Whether you like action, magic, roma

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Nov 06, 2012 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pre-release/ARC review.

Quote:
“You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?”

“No,” Ned replied, glancing around the kitchen in the hope of spotting a handy weapon. The carving knife was still on the table, and the fire irons out of reach on the hearth.

“Yes you are.”

“All right, yes, dammit.” Ned straightened up, putting as much distance between them as he could without actually retreating. “Now say what you have to say and be done with it.”

“Good. We understand one another. So understand this.” Sandy leant clos...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spec-fic

c2012: FWFTB: treason, twin, skrayling, Venice, loyalties. The number of betrayals in this book is quite staggering not least of which is the betrayal by the main man, Mal Catlyn. It didn't sit well with me at all but I suppose that is all part of the good and evil in all people. I do wish there had either been a Dramatis Personae or a What Had Gone Before. I did remember some of it but I had to resort to the internet to start to get my bearings. It seemed to lag for me about two thirds of the w...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Joanne Hall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: heroic-fantasy

“The Alchemist of Souls” was one of my favourite reads last year, and “The Merchant of Dreams” is the not-very-long awaited follow-up, the middle volume of a trilogy due to end with “The Prince of Lies” in November this year.

Mal and Coby have fled to Mal’s estates in France, but Mal is haunted by dreams and visions from the fragment of skrayling soul trapped within him. The skraylings, creatures from the New World, can re-incarnate into different bodies. But the soul that has re-incarnated into...more “The Alchemist of Souls” was one of my favourite reads last year, and “The Merchant of Dreams” is the not-very-long awaited follow-up, the middle volume of a trilogy due to end with “The Prince of Lies” in November this year.

Mal and Coby have fled to Mal’s estates in France, but Mal is haunted by dreams and visions from the fragment of skrayling soul trapped within him. The skraylings, creatures from the New World, can re-incarnate into different bodies. But the soul that has re-incarnated into Mal has been severed, split between him and his twin brother, Sandy. The dreams that Erishen has sent him lead Mal and Coby on a spying mission to Venice, to a city where even the supposedly respectable hide their faces, and where a dark figure has been brooding for many centuries.

Mal and Coby, along with Mal’s long-suffering former lover Ned, make a wonderful team, augmented this time by actor and would-be playwright Ned Parrish and Mal’s brother Sandy, often more skrayling than human. Coby in particular really shines in this book, daring to shed her male disguise for the first time and emerging as a competent, quick-thinking heroine whose love for Mal doesn’t turn her brain to custard. It’s also refreshing to see a woman on the front cover of a fantasy novel who doesn’t look like she’s going to need chiropractic assistance in the near future…

The canals and streets of Venice are wonderfully creepy and dilapidated, a thin veneer of respectability and opulence covering the dark heart of the city like a close-fitting mask. London is a sprawling, noisy mess, but Venice holds her cards close to her chest, the perfect city for spies and intrigue.

The action dips a little when the characters are at sea, shuttling between France, London, Venice, and the skrayling enclave on the island of Sark, and the whole book does have that “middle of a trilogy” feel – things set up in the first book are largely ignored, while new threads are weaved and then left undone, presumably to be picked up in the last book of the series. Having said that, there is progression here – Mal and Coby’s relationship takes a surprising turn, while Ned grows into his character and reveals previously unexpected talents, but it does rather feel like the book is marking time until the climax.

“The Alchemist of Souls” was brilliant, and if you enjoyed it “The Merchant of Dreams” comes highly recommended, but I have the feeling “The Prince of Lies” is going to blow them both out of the water. Roll on November!(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Fran Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm perhaps half way through this but all the things that I had disliked about the first book had faded by this point, but not in this. The plot continues a couple of years after the first one, with Mal and Coby living in France. He's having dreams about the Skyralings. All good.

Except for the choppiness. In the first one, characters would just randomly do something, and it would lead to something else, also rather random, and that is still going on. One character, a minor one, says something, a...more I'm perhaps half way through this but all the things that I had disliked about the first book had faded by this point, but not in this. The plot continues a couple of years after the first one, with Mal and Coby living in France. He's having dreams about the Skyralings. All good.

Except for the choppiness. In the first one, characters would just randomly do something, and it would lead to something else, also rather random, and that is still going on. One character, a minor one, says something, and Mal considers a duel, without any real reason, that i could see, for why those words were so offensive. His twin has a book that he shoildn't, there's a tiny argument, and the next thing you know, Coby, Sandy and Gabriel are running off for France. It happens too fast. It happens without emotion. Without reason. There are attacks, randomly. Mal goes outside, two drunks approach him, almost a fight, then it's over. Again, no emotion. Just randomness. No one seems to feel anything, and when it's sad that they're upset, or worried, it doesn't seem believable, because there ar eno thoughts attatched to it.

There's also a level of stupidity to it. Mal asks Ned whether he has seen any Skyralings. Ned says no, and then alittle more about what htey could do next, and Mal hits him. Don't talk about it in public. Well don'ty bring up the subject, Mal! If it's so important you are discreet, don't bring it up at all!

And then there's the sex. Ned doesn't like thinking about the people who slept with his boyfriend. But hes happy to try it on with Mal. Mal, who came across as only sleepinbg with Ned in the first one whebn lonely, now seems very up for it, even though he's in love with Coby. i don't mind sex in books. I don't mind gayness (actually i seek it out) but all the references, and hypocrisy regarding it. It makes it hard to care about the characters feelings if their own feelings are so thin for each other.

I enjoyed the first one a lot. The choppiness, the rush, faded after a while. But as i said, half way through and it's still going on. The plot, well, I'm indifferent to it, because everything is so fast, so quick and i'm finding that rather annoying. It's ok to read, but bnot a patch on the first. I'm disappointed. :(

EDIT. im bored with it. I might actually quit. the charactyers are annoying me beyond belief. The sex is everywhere, everyone fancies everyone and that seems to be the ONLY thing that's happening.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-mum-was-a-history-teacher, orcs-r-us

First published on Radiant Attack - read as an ARC copy

The Merchant of Dreams is the second book in the Night's Masque series by Anne Lyle. While I didn't read the first novel, I though the premise sounded interesting. Set in Elizabethan times, a group of spies investigate a skrayling delegation to Venice. The skraylings are the native people of Vinland, who have a mysterious spiritual connection between the dream world and reality. Not quite human, they are continuously reincarnated on death. T...more First published on Radiant Attack - read as an ARC copy

The Merchant of Dreams is the second book in the Night's Masque series by Anne Lyle. While I didn't read the first novel, I though the premise sounded interesting. Set in Elizabethan times, a group of spies investigate a skrayling delegation to Venice. The skraylings are the native people of Vinland, who have a mysterious spiritual connection between the dream world and reality. Not quite human, they are continuously reincarnated on death. The problem comes when some of these skraylings are reincarnated in human form, taking on the role of guisers, who can walk between dreams and reality.

The story takes a little bit to get into. A great chunk could easily have been cut out of the first act, enabling the characters to get to Venice much quicker. It's in Venice where the plot takes off, with a great setting for a fantasy novel. Anne Lyle does a good job of recreating historical Venice, with the canals and different locations across town. The floating city is full of enigmatic alleyways ripe for hidden assassins and secret business transactions. If you've ever been to Venice, you'd know how much of a labyrinth it is. Without a map, it is so easy to get terribly lost crossing canal upon canal.

In Venice, Mal and co investigate the possibility of a trade agreement between the skraylings and the Venetians, which is not in the best interests of the English. Along the way he is drawn into the back door politics of the city, through a courtesan who is also a guiser. In a city ruled by men wearing masks, it's hard to uncover secrets.

Mal, Coby, Ned and Gabriel are the main characters within the series. I found Mal to be a confusing hero. One minute he's sea sick, the next he's fighting a rapier battle against corsairs on the high seas. Although Mal is intentionally bisexual, he's not exactly monogamous. What's even more confusing is that none of his sexual encounters ever really affect the relationships he has with these people. What happened to no sex please, we're British?

The side characters are actually more interesting than the main ones. I was drawn to Youssef, the middle-eastern merchant/man of dubious trade connections, who sails across the Mediterranean. Now there would be an interesting spin-off tale. The book is peppered with real people from the era - Sir Walter Raleigh lends a hand to the spies and they receive their orders from Francis Walsingham. Mal is also drawn from an obscure historical figure and filled out with creative detail.

There weren't enough moments in the story where I felt the characters truly in danger. Only towards the end are we given creatures of the dark imagination, and even then they are thinly sketched. There's a point where the author indicates they look like horses, but then apparently they can open doors? I'm just trying to figure out how horses can open heavy church doors... I wish the characters and monsters were given the same level of detail as Lyle gives to the city itself.

The most intriguing parts are where Mal falls prey to the guards of Venice, finally at the mercy of someone else's power. I would have liked to see more of these threats, where he is a fugitive in the city, but somehow the threats didn't seem very real. I never doubted that the heroes would get away with their plot. Partly due to the lack of consequences for their actions. Which brings me to...

(view spoiler)

Of course, I have no problem with the anti-hero, or even a likeable villain. I think the problem arises when there is no internal consistency about the motivations of these characters. Mal is not strong enough in his beliefs to have a decisive moral code. For Mal to participate in these morally grey actions it requires a certain level of conviction. Is he after power or self-preservation? Or go the opposite way: is he so blinded by the desire to do good that he eventually releases evil?

If you enjoy historical fantasy, you might want to check out the Night's Masque series. I would recommend reading the first book before The Merchant of Dreams so you can fill in all the details about the characters. Anne Lyle is a clear writer, but the story runs into issues whenever it delves into relationships rather than sticking people with a sharp pointy object. I mean a rapier. Not that kind of sharp pointy object... ugh. You're so dirty.(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 JJ DeBenedictis rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, which had a fresh-feeling setting, cool premise, and which was long, yet had a dense and twisty-turny plot I totally loved.

This book gets there, eventually, but it really felt as if nothing important happened until all the characters had arrived in Venice, which was over 200 pages into the novel. I also found it hard to emotionally relate to the characters, which happened to me with the first book also, although I didn't mind it then because I foun...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Erica Wagner rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read the Alchemist of Souls around Christmastime, so I was glad I didn't have to wait long for the sequel. There were a few surprises with regards to the timing, as it didn't take up immediately after the first one left off, but it worked well for me. I'll try to do this without spoilers, so the review will be a bit more general.

The only real complaint I had about it was that the start was, perhaps, a bit slow. I was all right with this, because it added some details re characterization and wo...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Mieneke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2012, fantasy

The Merchant of Dreams is the second book of The Night's Masque. Lyle's debut The Alchemist of Souls is one of my top ten debuts of 2012, so I was very excited to be able to crack open or rather tap open my eARC of The Merchant of Dreams to return to her alternate Tudor England and see how the story would continue. In The Merchant of Dreams Lyle deepens her world, allows us to travel to foreign parts, and develops her characters further in unexpected but wonderful ways.

We rejoin Mal and Coby as...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Susanne E rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, kindle, alt-history

Not as good as the first one. The first third or so went really slowly (so much sailing - so boring!) and the plot or characters didn't stay as fun as I had hoped, especially given that they were romping around Venice.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars

3 1/2 Stars. This beautifully written story, the second in the series, was ultimately very frustrating for me to read, mostly due to the fact that I did not read The Alchemist of Souls first. I did not realize this was a second book when I requested it from NetGalley, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have asked for it (and that is entirely my fault, I did not read the description carefully enough – lesson learned!). While it has vivid historical details and an abundance of atmosphere, it was hard f...more 3 1/2 Stars. This beautifully written story, the second in the series, was ultimately very frustrating for me to read, mostly due to the fact that I did not read The Alchemist of Souls first. I did not realize this was a second book when I requested it from NetGalley, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have asked for it (and that is entirely my fault, I did not read the description carefully enough – lesson learned!). While it has vivid historical details and an abundance of atmosphere, it was hard for me to stay engaged with the characters and the story. Throughout the book are references to things that happened in the first book, events that aren’t explained and went right over my head. As much as I tried to understand these references from the context of the story, I failed miserably and skimmed over the parts that were confusing, which added to the overall confusion, I’m afraid!

When the story begins, we are thrust into the lives of Mal Catlyn and his valet Coby Hendricks, who have discovered that the skraylings, mystical beings who now live among humans and are reincarnated over and over when they die, may have struck up an alliance with the city of Venice. This necessitates a journey to the famous city to try to fix the problem, which is where the story really became interesting for me. Lyle’s setting is an alternate history Tudor England, complete with references to Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh, among others. (Clearly, the title is a nod to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.) It’s familiar enough for history buffs to recognize the time period, but with the addition of skraylings into the mix the story becomes a slightly off-kilter reconstruction of that era. Mal and his brother Sandy are interesting characters because a skrayling has been reborn and shares their bodies. (This is one of those story points that I’m still having a hard time grasping, but which I’m sure the first book explains.)

The story is filled with a fair amount of gender-bending and sexual ambiguity. Mal’s valet Coby is actually a young woman who has been dressing as a boy in order to travel safely with Mal. But from what I can gather, Mal and Coby fell in love during The Alchemist of Souls and still have feelings for each other, albeit unresolved ones. Coby’s disguise makes it nearly impossible for them to acknowledge their feelings in public or risk ridicule, or worse, prison. Then we have Ned, one of my favorite characters, who is Mal’s staunch friend but is in love with him as well. Mal and Ned have been lovers in the past, which makes their present relationship even more confusing. Later when the characters arrive in Venice, yet another character is added to this odd mix, a skrayling named Olivia who represents a serious threat and must be dealt with, despite Mal being extremely attracted to her. It’s interesting to see how all these relationships work themselves out, and Lyle takes her time resolving things, keeping the reader in suspense through most of the story. I found the author's inclusion of complicated relationships very Shakespearean, and I felt they added a sense of intrigue that felt just right.

The setting of Venice where much of the action takes place was gorgeously descriptive and I felt myself completely immersed in the Venetian culture that the author brings to life. Lyle describes the city as a contradiction, where the elite and wealthy live in splendor and attend masked parties, but around every corner is terrible squalor that is simply a part of everyday life. Men of all social standings urinate on the street, and even the women must find “piss pots” when they need to relieve themselves. I loved some of the historical details that the author sprinkled into her story, such as the invention of the wrist watch and the newfangled “post office” that had recently sprung up in Venice. I also loved the sea journey to Venice, a tense and exciting part of the story where there are dangers aplenty, including pirates.

The fantasy elements were subtle, and for me, my least favorite parts of the book, probably because of the confusion I admitted to earlier. I much preferred the wonderfully detailed history lesson that Lyle provided, and the intrigue among the characters, especially when they arrived in Venice. I would highly recommend this book for history buffs that would enjoy a fantasy element that doesn’t overpower the story. Lyle’s use of period-correct dialog, while a bit hard to read and understand at first, lent authenticity to the story.

The bottom line is this: read The Alchemist of Souls first. While this book is well-written and held many positives for me, my enjoyment was hindered by the fact that I felt like I was going in blind. With the back story of Book One firmly in place, The Merchant of Dreams will most likely enthrall any reader who loves history.

Many thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Tonya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction-alternate-history

I felt a little let down with this sequel to The Alchemist of Souls. All the characters I liked were back but the story seemed to be lost in all the running around they did.

I never felt any character development from them, Mal was the hero that turned into a lech that can't keep his sword sheathed. Coby built a life for herself yet constrains herself by only going about as a man instead of playing both male and female roles in her spy life & then, oops, a plot hole opens up and she can sudde...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Merchant of Dreams starts out with a scene that could have come from one of the best thriller movies - all haunting atmosphere and trepidation - and digs its hooks in deep. Set a year or two after the events of The Alchemist of Souls, this second book in the Night’s Masque series is a worthy successor to it. At over 500 pages, I still managed to finish the book roughly three days after I started it.

Court intrigue and battles abound as Mal Catlyn and his page - the cross-dressing (by necessit...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Leo Elijah Cristea rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Merchant of Dreams, by Anne Lyle—Night’s Masque #2—is an example of pure storytelling. Rich and well-paced, the second instalment of the series builds on the foundation of The Alchemist of Souls and completely avoids “middle-book syndrome” by becoming a solid middle point for the series, setting a high bar and allowing only for things to get better.

Often, what makes a book is a mixture of two elements, perfectly and chemically arranged on a page as suits the author’s style and tastes. Charac...more The Merchant of Dreams, by Anne Lyle—Night’s Masque #2—is an example of pure storytelling. Rich and well-paced, the second instalment of the series builds on the foundation of The Alchemist of Souls and completely avoids “middle-book syndrome” by becoming a solid middle point for the series, setting a high bar and allowing only for things to get better.

Often, what makes a book is a mixture of two elements, perfectly and chemically arranged on a page as suits the author’s style and tastes. Character and plot. If any one ingredient is lacking, or does not gel well enough, then the formula is ruined and the result will be subpar. When reading Lyle you never need to worry about the mixture being right—it always is. Lyle’s skill at writing character sets her apart in the genre and makes her work all the more approachable and identifiable.

In The Merchant of Dreams—helpfully hinted at by the gorgeous front cover and the play on Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice—the cast sets sail on Walsingham’s business to the Serene Republic; Venice. With the richness and wonder of Venice to play with, Lyle set out to really push the imagination and just what she could achieve with her characters and the setting provided. The result is a magical romp through a familiar Venice—with its canals and piazzas and masked parties—with all the tension and intrigue of intelligencers, skraylings and guisers, and secrets nestled between the Serene Republic’s soft bosom—secrets that she wants to keep close to her heart.

With Coby’s secret held by Mal, their relationship begins to blossom, awkwardly—though as long as they remain in England there can be no romance between them. On the contrary, Gabriel and Ned have settled into a routine of domestic and romantic normalcy that—mostly—serves to quell Ned’s resurfacing affections for his former lover, Mal, who, despite having freed his twin brother Sandy from Bedlam and having successfully uncovered the mysteries of his past, is as troubled as ever by recent revelations and events. And with Ambassador Kiiren gone from England and Sandy with him, Mal’s humour has been better.

When he is ordered to Venice to spy on the skraylings’ sought alliance with Venice, he takes Ned with him, giving Cody strict orders to take care of Sandy, whose return is a welcome surprise, yet one he cannot fully trust. Coby swears to Mal his brother will stay safe. No sooner has the promise been made, than Sandy and Erishen inside him, begin to cause trouble—trouble that forces Coby and Gabriel both from England. Before long, more ungodly trouble hounds Coby, with the appearance of more skraylings, whose betrayal comes at sea and threatens to take them all the way back to the New World. Coby is forced to lie and think quickly and eventually they find themselves following after Mal and heading to Venice.

Meanwhile Ned is hardly cut out for the life Mal has introduced him to, and though he is a dab hand on a ship, he soon tires of being away from Gabriel and being surrounded by men on a ship who take a dislike to his preferences. More danger abounds before they even reach the Serene Republic, and with Sir Walter Raleigh in tow and appearances on the up-and-up, Mal is struggling to get done what needs doing, without arousing suspicion regarding his own secret past. After attacks at sea, storms and pirates, being in Venice should be an easy game, but Mal discovers otherwise when he finds there is no access to the skraylings or Kiiren, and that Venice is ruled from the shadows by at least one guiser.

Under the cover of seeking his brother Charles, who is rumoured to be in Venice, Mal treads as lightly as he dares through the streets of Venice, which he finds are not as serene as the name implies.

The Merchant of Dreams is a complete success that invites you into a world of intrigue and danger, fencing and romance. The sexual tension between Ned and Mal is beautifully written and adds not only a depth to the relationship, but a streak of realism. Lyle successfully writes gay and bisexual characters as naturally as breathing, and it makes for a deeply enjoyable read. Gabriel and Ned are as enjoyable as Coby and Mal, Sandy and Kiiren.

In fact, the relationships between Lyle’s male characters take the book to another level for me. She writes homosexual characters and shoehorns nothing for any minority (perceived or otherwise)—she just happens to write Gabriel and Ned, who love each other and do the dirty, and Ned, who is Mal’s former lover, who happens to enjoy the womenfolk as well. It’s as simple as that and I appreciate seeing more than just a homosexual character there for decoration, or to be penned in on all sides by heteronormative characters. Never mind the mythological bisexual character, appearing, nowhere, ever!

It’s refreshing, and damn if I don’t enjoy reading about pretty Gabriel and brooding Mal. Coby, too, is a brilliant example of a cross-dressing heroine doing it more—by now—because she enjoys being Jacob Hendricks as well as Mina Hendricks. It raises fantastic questions about gender in a new way—and I love it.

In fact, I loved everything about The Merchant of Dreams: it is exciting, thrilling and Lyle’s gorgeous prose drives the story elegantly forwards towards a goal. Lyle is good at endings—not all writers are—and amidst the bittersweet closing chapters lie the seeds of a plot that could have some incredibly awesome consequences, should they be allowed to bloom. A fantastic example of historical fantasy going all the way and holding nothing back, The Merchant of Dreams is complex and exciting.

Gorgeous prose, stunning ability to weave a story, and likeable, moreish characters—Lyle is a winner. Read her.(less)

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Nov 16, 2012 Bane of Kings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, angry-robot, 2012-releases-read, favourites, notable-2012-releases, netgalley, 25-best-2012-releases

“This may be one of the best historical fiction/fantasy novels of 2012. Venice, Pirates, Skraylings, politics and some epic action scenes in sixteenth century Europe make sure that The Merchant of Dreams is a worthy successor to The Alchemist of Souls.” ~The Founding Fields

When I read The Alchemist of Souls earlier this year, by Anne Lyle –I was thoroughly impressed, and was left wondering how she would top that jaw-dropping first instalment. Well, as it turns out, The Merchant of Dreams is not...more “This may be one of the best historical fiction/fantasy novels of 2012. Venice, Pirates, Skraylings, politics and some epic action scenes in sixteenth century Europe make sure that The Merchant of Dreams is a worthy successor to The Alchemist of Souls.” ~The Founding Fields

When I read The Alchemist of Souls earlier this year, by Anne Lyle –I was thoroughly impressed, and was left wondering how she would top that jaw-dropping first instalment. Well, as it turns out, The Merchant of Dreams is not just better than The Alchemist of Souls; it’s also probably my favourite pick for the best historical fiction/fantasy novel of 2012, matching, and in some cases outclassing competition from Hereward: The Devil’s Army by James Wilde and The Sword and the Scimitar by Simon Scarrow. So, what does Lyle bring to the table to make The Merchant of Dreams fresh, enjoyable and exciting? Well, quite a lot, as it turns out.

Exiled from the court of Queen Elizabeth for accusing a powerful nobleman of treason, swordsman-turned-spy Mal Catlyn has been living in France with his young valet Coby Hendricks for the past year.

But Mal harbours a darker secret: he and his twin brother share a soul that once belonged to a skrayling, one of the mystical creatures from the New World.

When Mal’s dream about a skrayling shipwreck in the Mediterranean proves reality, it sets him on a path to the beautiful, treacherous city of Venice – and a conflict of loyalties that will place him and his friends in greater danger than ever.

I was a bit anxious before going into this novel with fears that the second novel might not be as good as the first, because from past experience, second novels in Trilogies are normally not as enjoyable as the predecessor. But Anne Lyle has proved to be more than just a one-trick pony with The Merchant of Dreams, and manages to balance both the pacing and the storytelling out equally, so there are not many parts where we’re left thinking that this is perhaps a bit too slow for what we’ve come to expect.

Read the rest of the review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/11/.... (less)

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Dec 23, 2012 Abhinav rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/...

Shadowhawk reviews the second entry in the Night’s Masque historical fantasy series by new author Anne Lyle.

“Full of vitality and some spectacular sequences, Merchant of Dreams is simply fantastic.“ ~The Founding Fields

When I reviewed Anne’s first novel in this series, Alchemist of Souls, I said at the end that it was a fantastic novel and that I hoped she would deliver on the sequel just as well as...more You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/...

Shadowhawk reviews the second entry in the Night’s Masque historical fantasy series by new author Anne Lyle.

“Full of vitality and some spectacular sequences, Merchant of Dreams is simply fantastic.“ ~The Founding Fields

When I reviewed Anne’s first novel in this series, Alchemist of Souls, I said at the end that it was a fantastic novel and that I hoped she would deliver on the sequel just as well as she did with her debut. That was expectation going into Merchant of Dreams and I must say that I really had a grand old time with it. It was a ton of fun to get back into her alternate Shakespearen England setting with the protagonists Mal Catlyn and Coby. Their adventures start off in England all right, but this time the shift is to the city of Venice however as the two agents of the English intelligencery (I probably made that word up) are sent on a mission to the floating city and fall afoul of events beyond their ken and control.

Anne’s characterisation is still incredible and pretty much flawless, in the sense that I really cannot find any fault with it. Mal is still the charming rogue and peerless swordsman I remember, and Coby is still the outspoken and highly intelligent and capable woman that I met in Alchemist of Souls. There are changes in the personalities for both characters, as they’ve grown quite a bit since their last outing.

Mal has taken to his new life as an agent of the Empire in Provence, although he still grumbles about it now and then. His relationship with his brother Sandy, formerly a mental patient of sorts but now quite lucid following the closing events of Alchemist of Souls, is also much different than before. Mal still dotes somewhat on Sandy, but the two have also grown apart and Mal has had to live with the changes in his brother, changes that he most definitely does not approve of at all.

Coby was the real surprise here. Before, she was someone who had to conceal her gender from everyone since she was a woman who worked in a man’s world (and all women actors were forbidden under English law, which did not make it easier for her as someone who worked in an acting company, Suffolk’s Men). A lot of her mental processes were taken up with this effort at concealment, and while we still get a lot of that in Merchant of Dreams, since she and Mal carry on the pretense that she is his male assistant, we also get to see the truly feminine side of her. She has to confront her suspicions and fear of how she has to act and “perform” as a woman, not a man, after years of doing the former. How she goes about doing that is a lot of fun to read and I have to say that her scenes were definitely among the best in the novel by a mile.

We also return to characters such as Ned Faulkner (Mal’s best friend and also somewhat of a former flame), Gabriel Parrish (one of the actors who was formerly part of Suffolk’s Men and is Ned’s lover), and Ambassador Kiiren (the Skrayling head-honcho in Europe and a friend to both Mal and Sandy). Also, Sandy of course. Seeing all these characters setting out together on an adventure of sorts to Venice is one of the highlights of the novel. Where in Alchemist of Souls the primary focus was on Mal and Coby, in Merchant of Dreams we see a lot more of the secondary characters, which serves to build up the world quite nicely. Ned and Gabriel are excellent vehicles for exploring how the people of the times viewed homosexuality. As with the previous book, the issue is handled with maturity and there are some love scenes between some of the characters, or “almost” love scenes, and it reinforces the fact that while homosexuality was a criminal offense in those times, it was also quite widespread regardless. Ned and Gabriel aren’t just agents for this aspect of the world however, they get to do a lot more than just have fun with each other, particularly Ned as he gets a very good outing with Mal in some of the best action scenes in the novel. Gabriel also serves as Coby’s tutor of sorts in that he “reminds” her how to be a woman since he was one of the most accomplished of Suffolk’s Men’s “women actors”. It is quite an interesting dynamic I have to say.

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May 17, 2013 Shane Cormier rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

AWESOME. IM GLAD TO SEE ITS OUT BECAUSE IM GOING BUY IT NEXT WEEKEND. CANT WAIT TO FINISH THIS STORY. ANd I see you are no longer writing anymore for now of this series. Well i sure hope it doesnt leave you hanging too much. Will definitely check out Prince of Lies as well. If its anywhere close to as good as this series , Im sure I will enjoy it as well. Would love to get an autographed copy of this one but ah well.

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Jun 10, 2013 Dave Hart rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having read the first novel in the trilogy and enjoying its pace, setting, intrigue and themes I feel quite let down by the second installment. The plot having several holes and direction changes that characters seem to blindly accept. The setting of venice was nice change but it just didnt interest me enough.

As someone who craves detail and well thought out storylines this just seemed a bit too thrown together for my tastes. The plot jumping about and quite often leaving out descriptions of whe...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Robert rated it 4 of 5 stars

A very nice follow up to the series.

I am still not sure that details of the world concept are worked out yet but I am willing to go along on the ride because the characters are well done and the story is fun.

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Nov 29, 2012 Deniz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, arc, paranormal, fantasy, historical

amazing!
bouncing between 4 and 5 stars in fact...

Lye has to my delight managed to not only deliver on my hopes for this book but has exceeded them!
The world building is absolutely flawless just like in the first book, and the characters are even better.
There are many subtle nuances and depths that have been added to the characters we got to meet in the alchemist of souls. In fact while I love the world building I adore the characters she created. I really care for them and wanna know what will...more

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May 20, 2012 Laura Lam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, favorites

I beta-read an early draft of this. Fans of the first will definitely not be disappointed! It's a rollicking good ride, and 16th century Venice comes alive in Anne's alternate historic world.

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Jan 24, 2013 Angela Autrey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio

Although this book was far better (more interesting than the first) it still wasn't quite what I like as far as fantasy fiction goes. The characters never endeared themselves to me and the homosexuality seem disproportionate to the story. In a word, blah.

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Mar 04, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The second book of The Night's Masque, I thought this was a tremendously well-written story. Magic, mystery & romance - it has it all.

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May 15, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyed, although there are holes in the story and not enough background. Good characters, good story.

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Jan 21, 2013 Marty rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a marvelous series.

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Jun 09, 2013 Denise rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was not able to continue reading this. There was just one or two or three too many perilous and re-routed sea voyages for me to keep up with. At some point, I could not remember why the various characters set off on the voyages in the first place, and with the one character being sometimes himself and sometimes inhabited by the Skrayling, it just got to be too confusing. A shame, since I enjoyed the first book in this series.

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Jan 08, 2013 Glen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three and a half, moreso than three. Not quite as good as the first book, but full of more detail and world-building to make up for it. The characters are still great, as is the setting, but sometimes I feel that this necessitates them behaving in ways that are just disappointing. Sometimes realism and adherence to cultural norms of the time just make for an unfortunate situation in a story.

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Feb 19, 2013 Alex Fayle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book that has me considering the implications of totally surprising developments. Can't wait for the third one!

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The Merchant of Dreams (Night's Masque #2)

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